Flow control device



April 27, 1943. GROVE 2,317,376

FLOW CONTROL DEVICE Filed April 15, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l ,INVENTORS Marv/r7 H. Grave Aus/in U. firgarn v BY 7 ATTORNEY April 1943- M. H. GROVE ET AL 2,317,376 FLOW CONTROL DEVICE Filed April 15, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 svy gg ATTORH BY Patented Apr. 27, 1943 FLOW CONTROL DEVICE Marvin H. Grove, Piedmont, and Austin U. Bryant,

Berkeley, 'Calii'., assignors to Fluid Control Engineering 00., a eopartnership Application April 15, 1942, Serial No. 438,994

4 Claims.

This invention relates generally to valves for controlling flow of various fluids, including both gases and liquids. More particularly, it relates to valves of the type making use of a tube or sleeve formed of resilient material, and which is operated by means of a controlling fluid pressureto permit or interrupt flow of fluid through the valve body.

In copending application Serial No. 429,258, filed February 2, 1942, there is disclosed a type of fluid control valve making use of a tube or sleeve formed of resilient material like soft vulcanized rubber. The resilient tube in that instance has its ends sealed with respect to the valve body about the inlet and outlet passages, and a chamber or space is formed about the tube for receiving a controlling fluid pressure. A circular barrier is disposed within the tube intermediate its ends. The tube may assume two main operating positions depending upon the fluid pressure ap-- plied to the chamber. In closed position the tube interrupts flow of fluid though the body by sealing upon the periphery of the barrier, while in open position the tube is expanded by inlet pressure to permit fluid flow. The controlling fluid may be from an independent external source, or it maybe fluid taken from the inlet side of the valve.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a valve of the above type capable of application in certain types of service, particularly where one desires to efiect control from two sources of fluid pressure.

Another object of the invention is to provide a' valve of the above type which can be operated with a reversal of flow, and with use of fluid pressure taken from the line to cause the desired opening and closing action.

Additional objects of the invention will appear from the following description in which the preferred embodiment has been set forth in detail in conjunction with the accompanying draw- The valve as illustrated in the drawings con-- sists of a body l0 having the passages II and I2 for connection with the fluid piping I 3 and H. The interior of the body is bored to receive a pair of concentric tubes or sleeves l6 and II,

which are formed of suitable resilient material such as soft vulcanized rubber or resilient synthetic rubber.

-A circularly contoured barrier I8 is disposed within the tube I6 and is retained in place by the slotted sleeves I9 and 20. The space 2| between the tubes i6 and I1 forms a space or chamber for receiving fluid under pressure, and the body is also constructed to form a chamber 22 which surrounds the outer tube H.

In order to seal the end portions of the tubes together and to the body, the tubes are shown provided with adjacent flanges 23 and 24, which are clamped between the annular shoulder 25 formed on the body and the adjacent annular clamping shoulder 26 formed on the slotted sleeve IS. The other ends of the tubes have spaced flanges 21 and 28 which are separated by the spacer ring 29. The flanges 21 and 28 together with ring 29 are clamped between the annular shoulder 3| formed on the body and the annular shoulder 32 formed on the slotted sleeve 20. The assembly comprising the barrier l8 and the slotted sleeves i9 and 20 is urged into clamping engagement with the end flanges of the resilient tubes by the threaded body closure 34.

The spacer ring 29 is provided with ducts 36 which communicate with the inner space 2| and with an annular bodyduct 31. Another duct 38 in the body communicates with the chamber or space 22 surrounding the outer tube H.

with the arrangement so far described, when fluid under pressure is applied to the space 2| between the tubes l6 and II, the inner tube I 6 is caused to seal upon the periphery of the barrier l8, with expansion of the outer tube i'l.

When fluid pressure is applied to chamber 22, while chamber 2|. is vented, tube I! will press inwardly upon the tube It to again cause this tube to seal upon the periphery of the barrier l8. When both spaces 2! and 22 are vented, fluid pressure applied to each passage II or l2 can expand both tubes l6 and H to permit fluid to pass about the barrier.

In many instances it is desirable to use fluid taken directly .from the line for controlling within the body.

opening and closins, instead of using fluid pressure from external sources. Also it is frequently desirable to permit rull reversal oi flow, that is, to be able to eiiect opening and closing action of the valve for flow from either direction. The

the body, and are arranged for manual opera-' tion. The valve A includes a plunger 4| which carries the spaced cup washers 42 and 43. These washers dt within a tubular liner 44 mounted Valve Bsimilarly includes the plunger 46, cup washers 41 and 46, and liner 49. The outer ends of plungers'4l and 46 are connected by bar 5|, and a manual lever 52 is provided to move both plungers between two limiting positions. Sleeve 44 for valve A is pro-.- vided with spaced ports 53, 54 and 55, and the liner 46 for valve B is similarly provided with ports 56, F1 and 58. Ducts 6| .and 62 in the body (Figures 1, 4 and 5) establish communication between ports 53 and the body passage ll. Duct 63 (Figure 5) together with pipe 64 establishes communication between ports 56 for valve B, and the other main body passage l2.

Ports 54 for the valve A are connected by duct 65 and pipe 66 to the annular duct 31 in the body, which in turn communicates with the ducts 36 in the spacer ring 29 (Figure 3). Ports 51 for the valve 13 connect with the annular body duct 61, which in turn connects with duct 36 for establishing communication with the chamber 22 (Figure 6); Both ports 55 and 58 of the valves A and B communicate with ducts 66 and II, and these ducts in turn connect with the venting pipe 12. Pipe 12 .may discharge to the atmosphere or some other point of relatively low pressure.

Figure 4 shows one limiting positionfor the two valves A'and B. When in the other limiting position, cup washers 42 and 41 are intermediate ports 53 and 54, and ports 56 and 51, respectively. Cup washers 43 and 46 occupy positions to the right oi. the ports 55 and 58, ior their other limiting position.

Operation of the complete device described above can be outlined as follows: Itwill be presumed that the valve is connected in a fluid system, where at different times or under different operating conditions flow may occur from either side of the valve. If it is desired to permit flow to occur from either direction, the valve means A and B is placed in the position illustrated in the drawings. Ii inlet pressure is being applied to passage ll, then this pressure is transmitted through ducts 6| and 62, ports 53 and 54 of valve A, duct 56 in pipe 66, and thence through the annular duct 31 and the duct 36 of the spacer ring 29 to the inner chamber or.

space 2| between the two resilient tubes l6 and I1. As previously explained, application of fluid pressure in this manner to chamber 2| serves to retain the inner tube sealed with respect to is now transmit ed to the outer chamber 22;

through pipe 64, annular duct 63, ports 56, 51,- duct 61, and from thence by duct 38 .to the outer chamber 22. As previously pointed out, the pressure applied in this chamber likewise serves to retain the inner tube I6 closed upon the barrier, although at this time there may be substantially no pressure within chamber 2|.

In order to open the valve, one moves the 5 plungers 4| and 46 to the other limiting position previously described. This serves to vent both the passages 2| and 22 to the atmosphere, by way of pipe 12. Thus chamber 2| is vented because pipe 66 is placed in communication with venting pipe I2, through ports 54 and 55, and the duct 69. Chamber 22 is vented because ducts I8 and 61 communicate with pipe 12 throughout ports 5'! and 58 and the duct H. At this time communication between the passages 5 II and I2 is interrupted, because cup washers 42 and 41 are positioned intermediate ports 53 and 54, and the ports 56 and 51, respectively. It will be evident that we have provided a valve of particular utility for certain applications. Full flow reversal is made possible in the preferred embodiment as described above, and this is accomplished without the use of extra check valves. Aside from its use as a reversible flow valve, it is sages, a circularly contoured barrier disposed,

within the tube intermediate the ends of the same, 3 the adjacent annular portion of the tube being adapted to engage and-seal upon the periphery of the barrier, a second tube of resilient material surrounding the first tube, the ends of the second tube being sealed with respect to the end portions 0 of the first tube, the'space between said tubes being adapted to receive fluid under pressure, and

means forming a closed fluid chamber about the second named tube, said last named chamber being likewise adapted to receive fluid under pressure.

' 2. In a flow control device, a body having passages for flow of fluid, a tube of resilient material disposed within the body and having its ends sealed with respect to the body ,about the passages, a circularly contoured barrier disposed within the tube intermediate the ends of the same, the adjacent annular portion of the tube being adapted to engage'and seal upon the periphery of the barrier, means disposed within the end portions of the tube on opposite sides of the barrier to prevent inward collapsing of the tube, a second tube of resilient material disposed }ipon th first tube and having its ends sealed with respect to the end portions of the flrst tube, means forming a closed annular fluid chamber about the second .tube, and a separate means of fluid communication with the space between said tubes and with the chamber surrounding the second tube, where-- v by fluid under pressure can be introduced into or vented from each of said spaces.

3. In a flow control device, a body having passages for flow of fluid, a tube of resilient material disposed within the body and having its ends sealed with respect to the body about th pas- 7 sages, a circularly contoured barrier disposed within the tube intermediate the ends of the same,

the adjacent annular portion of the tube being adapted to engage and seal upon the periphery of i i the barrier, a second tube of resilient material 7 di p ed bout the nrst tube and having t ends;

possible toconnect the chambers 2| and 22 to 7 25 separate and independent sources of controlling sealed with respect to the end portions of the first tube, means forming a closed annular fluid chamber about the second tube, ducts serving to establish communication between one of the passages of the body and the space between said tubes, ducts serving to establish communication between the other passage of the body and the annular chamber surrounding the second tube, and control valve means associated with said ducts for venting fluid from both the space between the tubes and said chamber.

4. In a flow control device, a body having passages for flow of fluid, a tube of resilient material disposed within the body and having its ends sealed with respect to the body about the passages, a circularly contoured barrier disposed within the tube intermediate the ends of the same, the adjacent annular portion of the tube being adapted to engage and seal upon the periphery of the barrier, a second tube of resilient the first tube, means forming a closed annular fluid chamber about the second tube, ducts serving to establish fluid communication between one of the passages of the body and the space between said tubes, ducts serving to establish fluid communication between the other passage of the body and the annular chamber surrounding the second tube, and valve means including a common operating member movable in either one of two limiting positions, said valve means for One limiting position of the operating member serving to establish fluid communication between one passage of the body and the space between said tubes and between the other passage .of the body and the annular chamber surrounding the second tube,

and in thevother position of the operating member serving to vent both the space between the tubes and the annular chamber surrounding the second tube.

MARVIN H. GROVE. AUSTIN U. BRYANT. 

